Fate or Folly?

Hello again, here you go, take your favourite chair and let’s enjoy coffee and a chat *sips coffee*

I have a thought for you to mull over. You may well have an immediate opinion or strong point of view. It’s one of those subjects *winks*

I’ve been thinking a lot over the past few days about fate, do I believe, or is it just a load of old phooey? A friend posed the question a little while ago and since then it’s been hovering in the back of my mind, pouncing to the forefront every so often. I think the trouble is, it can be quite a romantic notion, and if nothing, I am an old romantic in many ways.

How many books have you read where the plot line is very much ‘fated’ ‘written in the stars’ ‘meant to be’…? Perhaps it’s our need for a happily ever after, instilled into our subconscious by those childhood fairy tales. After all, the thought that out there, we all have someone waiting for us, our life paths being mapped out in front of us can be quite consoling, don’t you think? But in all honesty, do we actually believe it? Do our cynical brains kick in, that need to question everything, that need for free will, the fear that we have no control, or not being able to take anything on faith? So where do you fall, or are you sitting on the fence… Fate or folly? 

Well, let me tell you a little story. Are you sitting comfortably *sips coffee and winks* then I’ll begin…

About 14 years ago, the days before this life, the days with another’s surname, I started writing a novel. It was not something I had planned on doing, I hadn’t been thinking of writing a book until that morning I woke up. You see, it was literally that quick, by the end of that first day the whole story plot had firmly established itself. Now all I had to do was write it! I hadn’t written a story since I was about ten or eleven, until that point my writing had been freelance, non-fiction for blogs, columns, and magazine articles, those factual pieces of writing a million miles from where I am today. I’m digressing *rolls eyes* Within a couple of days, I knew all the characters, all their physical attributes, needs, desires, all their little foibles… Including one particular character, a fair-haired, quiet soul, James Wright. 

*grins* You can see where I’m going with this, right?

I finished writing my novel, having it published in 2008. Sadly, soon after my life crumbled drastically, with a complete crash, and I say completely in the fullest sense of the word; every aspect of my life changed. I found myself a single mother, needing to work fulltime, my writing career had gone straight out of the window. A year or so passed, having moved to a new location, I had a lovely new position as a hotel receptionist. I was revelling in all the newest. My second day I found myself looking up from my desk to see some lovely blue eyes gazing down at me. During this brief moment of exchange, the fair-haired chef placed his hand in mine, introducing himself as James Wright.

Now, I admit, it didn’t hit me, not then, my previous life had been firmly stashed away under strict lock and key. It wasn’t until almost a year later when ‘fate’ (did you see what I did there *giggles*) took a hand in matters and James and I moved into our own little cottage, that the similarity began to settle. Not only did he share the same name, but also the very same physical, emotional characteristics that I had bestowed upon my fictional James.

Now, the rest they say is history. Apart from adding that I republished the novel, Remember to Love Me in 2016, under my new name of Becky Wright. 

I know, I know, I can hear your thoughts, it’s a case of coincidence, a curious case, a lovely romantic one, but a coincidence all the same. But is it? Do we sometimes have a tiny glimmer of our fate slice into our normal everyday life, every so often giving us a little glint of the future? It’s a lovely thought, and to be honest, I don’t really know where I stand… maybe I am just too happy to sit here on this proverbial fence, glancing over into the golden light fate has to offer, watching those shooting stars.

Sit back, another coffee? *offers a top-up* I’ll leave you to ponder… fate or folly?

Becky x